Air distributor for liquid-fuel burners



Oct 13,. 1925.

s. cHApwlcK AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed June 29'. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 13, 1925, 1,556,587

-, 1.. s. CIZHADWICKV AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR' LIQUID FUEL BURNE'HS Filed June 29. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 19 25 UNITED stares PATENT- OFFICE,

LEE s. .CHADWICK, OF'SHAKER nnren'rs VILLAGE, OHI ASSIGNOR TO rnncnnvn- LAND METAL raonnc'rs COMPANY, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Ara DISTRIBUTOR FQB. LIQUID-Font BUR-NERS.

Application filed June 29, 1922. Serial at. 571,672.

a citizen of the United States, residing at ShakerI-Ieights Village, in the county of Cuyahoga andSt-ate of Ohio, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Air Distributors for Liquid-Fuel Burners,v

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 4

This invention relates to oil burners, and more particularly to an improved air distributor or so-called flame spreader for use with such burners. i

Devices similar to that constituting the subject matter of this application are shown in my former applications SerialNos. 528,- 813, 528,814, 528,833 (the last mentioned being a joint application of myself and one Marc Resek), filed January 12, 1922, 541,- 898, filed March 8, 1922, andin an application which I am filing concurrently here with and entitled Air controlling member for oil burners, A construction indentical vwith that herein disclosed is exhibited in an application which I filed March '24, 1922, Serial No. 546,349, and wherein the claims are restricted to a safety feature applicable to variously constructed air distributors for oil burners. I

The primary ob ect of the invention 1s to provide an air distributor through which the power and 'efliciency of the 1 burner wherewith it is used is increased and the character of the flame improved, the flame, by reason of the even distrib'ution'o'f air effected by the device, being free from objectionable streaks.

Further objects are to provide a construc' tion which renders the distributor very substantial and durable, imparts rigidity to it, facilitates assembly, expedites manufacture, and which so controls and distributes the air that parts of the spreader are protected from the heat of the flame and therefore maintained at a comparatively low ten'iperature.

Other objects will appear as I proceed to describe the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the present preferred embodiment and wherein Fig. 1 represents a central vertical section through the upper portion of an oil burner and through my improved air distributor 'wherewith the burner is equipped; Fig. 2

isa sectional plan substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig; 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sec tion through the burner substantially on the i line 3- -3 of F ig. 1; and Fig. 4'is a planv view of the burner with the air distributor Or flame spreader removed.

The'burnerwherewith'my improved air distributor is designed for use is of the. tubular class but 1t'1s distinguished from the more common ones of this class by it's relatively large size which has acquired for it the name Giant Burner. The burner includes inner and outer wick tubes 1 and.

2, respectively, between which a cylindrical wick 3 is guided, the wick being adapted to be raised and lowered by wick raising means (not shown). A spanner 5 is situated within the upper end of the inner wick tube and is spaced a suitable distance downwardly from the top thereof. This spanner constitutes a support for the air distributor or flame spreader Practically all parts of the air distributor or flame spreader are drawn from sheet metal andothe, same comprises a tubular central structure element 10 which, by reason of its primary functionI shall term the look. This lock is shown as made up of top and bottom sections 11 and 12, re-

abutment 16 and then turned upwardly toform. a flange 17 which fits within the former flange l5 and below which the edge portion of the latter flange is crimped to clamp the sections firmly together with the edge ofthe flange 17 against the shoulder 14 The top of the distributor or flame spreader is designated 20 and it has an aperture which fits over the slightly elevated central portion of the top wall 13 of the lock 10 and is secured to the peripheral portion of said wall by any suitable means, as by rivets 22. The top'20 is formed to provide a: cylindrical part 23, a horizontal portion 24 therebelow, a decided dip 25 outwardly beyond the portion 24, and an upwardly bulged part 26 beyond the dip 25.

The upper end of a supporting member or tube 'fits within the cylindrical part 23 and is secured thereto, as by indentations 31. Secured in a similar manner to the substantial vertical centervofjthe tube 30 is a sleeve 33 which constitutes a part of what is usually termed the flame spreader flange 35. 36 spaced a comparatively short distance below the lower edge of'the dip 25,-and-a slightly raised peripheral portion 37 disposed below the bulged portion 26 of the to 3. fla nge is turned abruptly downwardly over the wick space between the tubes 1 and 2 and this portion of the flange may be referred to as the lip 38.

What is known as the body of the air distributor or flamespreader is designated 40 and it comprises a substantially cylindrical wall which is turned inwardly at its upper end, as shown at 11, and is enlarged at its lower end, as shown at 42. The extreme lower edge'iof this wall occupies a depressed annular bead 43 of a downwardly and in-' wardlyinclined bottom wall 44, said wall be ing provided outwardly beyond the bead 43 with a flange 45 which embraces and is turned over the upper edgeof the enlargement lQ thereby to secure the cylindrical wall and the bottom wall together. The bottom wall terminates at'its inner edge-in a flange etdwhich fits the lower end of the tube 30 and to which it may be secured, as by indentations 4:7.-

A frame is carried by and depends from thespanner 5, and locking elements 51 are pivotally connected at 52 to the frame and have keeper portions 53 which are adapted to be engaged over the abutment 16 of the lock 10 when the locking elements are forced apart by a pin 55 that is slidably supported within the upperend of the lock and which is provided above the top of the'distributor or flame spreader with a knob 56, the pin serving as a means for lifting the distributor or flame spreader from the burner as well as an actuator for the locking elements. strained against undue pivotal movement by stops 57 which project from the top of the frame 50 through openings 58 in said elements. This locking of the flame spreader to the spanner constitutes no part of my present invention-but is fully disclosed and claimed in the aforesaid application of myself and-Marc Resek, Serial No. 528,833; and

the purpose of the frame 50 is set forth in my previously 1nentioned application Serial NO. 528,813.

Extending outwardly and downwardly from beneath the flange 36, toward the lip 38 thereof, is a batlle' 60 which is afliliated with perforations 61 in the downwardly turned edge portion of the flange 36 to make This flange has-a horizontal portion The extreme edge portion of "the The locking ,elements are re-v up a safety feature that constitutes the subject matter of my application Serial No. 5i6,34l9 above referred to.

The spanner 5 is provided with a large central opening 65 and-withia series-of seg mental openings; 66,- and throughout the greater portion of its circumference its edge is spaced --from the innerwick tube by lugs 67 to provide passageways 68. The lock 10' is open at 'its:'-lowe1' end, is provided with large openings 70 in substantially the horizontal plane of the space between the flange 36 and the edge portion "of the top 20, the openings being separated by supporting bars 71, and thetop' wall 13 of the lock has a se-' ries of relativelysm'all openings 72. The

tube 30 has openings 7 5 in substantially the top :20, inwardly of itscylindrical portion 23, has a seriesof openings 83,-and' its portions 24 and 26 are provided, respectively, with perforations Set and 85.

VVhen-the "burner is; in operation, and'is associated with'the other well'known ele-' mentsiwhich go to make up a complete apparatus, such as the drum and the drum supporting-collan as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 84l8,828, issuedApril 2, 1907, to W. R.

Jeavons, there is a current of air induced by the heat of the flameupwardly through the inner wick tube. A part of this air rises through the openings of the spanner 5 into the interior of the lock 10 and the tube 30, the greater" amount of that rising within the lock passing out through the openings 70 to join that within the tube and to escapewith it through the openings and the restricted passageway between the flange 36 and the dip :25 of the top. A certain amount of this air, however, escapes through the perforations 72' in the top wall 13 of the lock; a part through the openingsbii of the top :20, and a part through the perforations 84 and 8501f the respective portions 24land26 'of the top. The air escaping through the passageway between the flange 36 and the peripheral portion of the top imparts proper shape to the flame and, rising between the flame and the top, protects the latter from the intense heat of the flame; This wall of air, so to speak,= is prevented from converging to too great an extent as it rises above the burner by the air which is supplied to the space therewithin through the perforations 84- and 85, the openings 83, and the perforamentioned perforationsserving further to retain the knob 56 perature.

In order that. it may serve its purpose best, the air issuing from between the flange 36 and the peripheral portion of the top must be in a practically unbroken sheet and this is accomplished, notwithstanding voids which may occur in the body of air passing from the interior of the lock 10 and the interior of the tube by reason of the presence of the supporting bars 71 and-7 6 which tend to divide the bodyv of air into radial streams, by the air being smoothed out into a comparatively thin body as it passes through the restricted passageways between the dip 25 and the horizontal portion of the flange 36 and between the extreme edge por-. tions ofthebulgedpart 26 of the top and the flange portion immediatelytherebelow. This is held as an important feature of my present invention. V

A part of the air rising within the tube 30 issues through-the openings 77 into the at a relatively low teminterior of the body 40, and this is augmentthrough the passageways 68 about the edge a of the spanner 5. The air passing through this space prevents vapors dropping from the wick into said space and also prevents the condensation of any vapors therein, the air passing through the perforations 81 serving especially to prevent condensation within the sheltered area immediately above the enlargement 42 of the. body 40.

Attention is directed to the fact that the enlargement of the lock 10, or more specifically the abutment portion 16 thereof, serves as a deflector to direct a proper amount of the air rising within the tube 30 outwardly through the openings 77'tl1ereof. A,

Having thus described my invention, wha.t I claim is:

1. An air distributor for liquid fuelburn ers of the character set forth comprising a central structural element, a tube surrounding and spaced from saidelement, means joining together the upper end of the tube and element, a flame spreader flange carried by the tube and extending outwardly therefrom, a flame spreader body disposed below the flange and surrounding and having connection with the lowerend of the tube, the tube having a series of openings in substantially the plane of the body, and the central structural element terminating at its lower end in substantially the plane of the corre sponding'end of the tube.

2. An air distributor for ers of the character set forth comprising a central structural element, a top secured to the upper end of said elementand extending outwardly therefrom, a tube surrounding the structural element and spaced therefrom, said tube depending from the top and situ-'- ated inwardly of its peripheral -port-ion, a flame spreader flange carried by the tube below and in spaced relation to the peripheral portion of the top, and a flamespreader body disposed below the flange and having a bottom wall through which it has connec:

liquid fuel burntion with the lower end of the tube, the tube havlng a series of openlngs in substantially the transverse plane of the space between by the tube and extending outwardly therei from, and a flame spreader bodyv disposed below the flange and having connection with the lower end of the tube, the tube having a series of openings in substantially the transverse plane of the body, the central structural element having a deflecting portion in operative relation to said series of openings the peripheral portion of the top and the ice 7 4; An air distributor for liquid fuel burn- I ers of the character set forth comprising a central structural element, a top secured to the upper end of said element and extending outwardly therefrom, atube-depending from the top inwardly of its peripheral portion and outside and spaced from said central structural element, a flame spreader flange carried by the tube below and in spaced relation to the peripheral'portion of the top, and a flame spreader body disposed below the flange and having connection with the lower end of the tube, the tube having a series of openings in substantially the transverse plane of the space between the peripheral portion of the top and the flange and a second series of openings in the transverse plane of the body, the central element having a circumferential enlargement constituting a deflector that is inoperativerelation to the lastmentioned series of openings.

5. An air distributor for liquid fuel burners oft-he character set forth comprising a central structural element,j a top applied to the upper end of said element and extending outwardly therefrom, the top being formed to provide a substantially cylindrical part that is spaced outwardly from said struc tural element, a tube having its upper end fitted and secured to the cylindrical part of g the top and dependingtheretrom; a flaine spreader flange secured .toand extending outwardly from the tube below and in spaced relationto the peripheral portion of the top, 1

and a flame spreader body surrounding the lower end of the tube in spaced relation to J the flange, the tube having a series ofopen-w ings in substantially the transverse plane of the space between the peripheral portion of r the top and the flange. and a second series of openings in the transverse plane of the body.

6. An air distributor for liquid-fuel burners of the character set forth comprising a central structural element, a top applied to the upper end of said elementandextending outwardly, thencedownwardly and again outwardly therefrom, to provide-a substantially cylindrical part-that is spaced from the central structural element, a tube having its upper end fitted within and secured to the cylindrical part 'oi the top and depend ing therefrom to substantially he plane oi the lower end of the central structural :ele-

and in spaced relation-to the peripheral portion of the top, and a flame spreader body surrounding the lower endo't' the tube-in spaced relation to the flange the-tube having a series of openings in substantially the transverse plane of the space'between the peripheral portion of the top andtheflange and a second series of openings in the transverse plane of the body.

7. An air distributor :tor'liquid fuel burners of the character setforth comprising a tubular supporting 1116l11bQl,' two 'substan tially horizontal flange likeelements sur rounding the supporting member, one above the other, the latter constituting tl1G'fl2t1fl6 spreader flange, said elements converging then diverging and again approaching each other outwardly from the supporting member to provide a succession of restricte'dair passageways, and a flame spreader body surrounding the supporting member below and in spaced relation to the lower" of the aforesaid flange like elements, the tubular supporting member having a circumierentially disposed series of openings that are separated by supporting parts and are located between the horizontal planes of the aforesaid flange-like elements.

8. An air distributor for liquid fuel burners of the character set tortlrcomprising a central structiral element, a top sir cured to the upper end of said element and extending outwardly horizontally therefrom and thence downwardly to provide a substantially cylindrical part beyond which its peripheral portion is formed to provide a dip and an upwardly bulged port-ion therebeyond, a tube having its upper end fitted within and secured to the cylindrical part of the top, an annular flame spreader 1nent,a flame spreader flange secured to and extendlng outwardly flOll'l' the tube below flange. having itsdnnerzedge portion secured 'to the tube, said flangesbeingnspaced-a dis-.

tance below the; peripheral iPOl'lZlOIlEOf the top and so shaped and positioned with re- SPGCtwthQI'Gt'OE to provide "therewith rest-riot ed annularz passageways that are spaced at different distances:outwardly; from I the tube, I v

the tubewhavingra series ot openings :in

substantially the transverse-plane: of said passageways, and a flame spreader body.

surroundingpand secured to the :lower end of the tube in spacedrelationrztotheiflame spreader flange.

9(An air distributort'or liquid .iiuel burners of the character-set forth compris ing .a central" tubular: structuralelement that is open atits lowera'end :andtclosed at wardly horizontally therefrom and; thence downwardly to' provide a substantially its upper end, a top ssecured to the'upper end of said element".andJeXtendmg outeral portion is formed toeprovi'devaxdiph.

and an upwardly bulgedportion therebeyond, a tubehaving its'iupp'en'endzlittedr within and securedto the cylindrical part of the top, an annulanflamespreader flange having itszinner -edge port-ion fitte'd-c'about and secured to the tube, said flange being spaced a distance below the'zperipheralr por-- tion of the atopandiliso 'shaped iand po sitioned with respect .th'eretoi 538' to T provide.

therewith restricted annular passageways that are spaced at different: distances 'out-- central element "having- .:;circumferentially.

the transverserplanexof :said passageways and a flame spreader body surrounding and secured to the lower end of the 1 tube in spaced relation to the fiameisprea-der'flange.

10. An air distributor for liquid fuel: bu 'n1 ersot the characterersetltforth comprising a central tubular structural element that'is 7 open at itslo'we-r encL-a 'top'appliedato the upper end oi the tubularteleinentand extending outwardly therefrom. and thence that is substantially -concentric with'the 7 central structural element, the peripheral 7 portion of the top extending outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction from the aforesaid cylindrical part and thence downwardly to provide a dip beyond which said peripheral :portion :is curved upwardly and thence downwardly,:the horizontal portions-ot' the top and the curved edge'portion of the topbeing providedzwith air openings, atube having its upperaendfitted wvithin and secured ton-theacyl'indrical part of the top and depending-to substantially the plane of-the lower end of the central element, a flame spreader flange secured :to and extended outwardly from'theltubular element in spaced relation to the peripheral portion of the top, and a flame spreader body sur rounding the lower portion of the tube and secured thereto in spaced relation to the flame spreader flange, the central structural element and tube having series of openings in substantially the transverse plane of the space between the peripheral portion of the top and aforesaid flange.

11. In an air distributor for liquid fuel burners of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting member, a flame spreader flange extending outwardly from said member, and a flame spreader body surrounding the lower portion of the member below said flange, said body comprising a peripheral wall that is enlarged at its lower end, and a bottom wall for said body that is formed at its inner edge for application to the supporting member and at its outer edge to embrace and interlock with the enlarged lower end of the peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having a series of perforations above its enlarged lower end and said bottom having air openings.

12. In an air distributor for liquid fuel burners of the character set forth, the combination of, a supporting member, a flame spreader flange carried by and extending outwardly from said member, and a flame spreader body surrounding said member in spaced relation to the flange, said body comprising a peripheral wall that is enlarged throughout its lower portion to provide an intermediate shoulder, and a bottom wall for said body that is inclined inwardly and downwardly and is formed adjacent its inner edge to fit about the lower end of the supporting member to which it is secured, the outer edge portion of the bottom .wall

being formed to provide an annular bead whereon the lower edge portion of the peripheral wall seats and beyond which it is flanged upwardly and inwardly to embrace the shoulder of the peripheral wall thereby to bind the parts together, the bottom wall having air openings and the peripheral wall a series of perforations above said shoulder.

13. In combination with a burner of the class described, including inner and, outer wick tubes and a supporting spanner situated within the inner wick tube and spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, the edge portion of the spanner being spaced from the inner tube to provide an air passage, and having its central portion provided with air openings, and an air distributor adapted to repose within the upper end of the burner and rest upon said spanner, said distributor comprising a central tubular element, a top applied to the upper end of the element and extending outwardly therefrom, a tube depending from the top in concentric relation to the tubular element and between the same and the edge portion of the top, a flange carried by and extending outwardly from the tube in spaced relation to said edge portion of the top, and a body surrounding the lower end of the tube and spaced below the flange, said body com prising a peripheral wall that is flanged inwardly at its upper end and enlarged at its lower end to provide an intermediate shoulder, and an annular bottom wall that is formed at its inner edge with a flange that fits and is secured to, the lower end of the tube, the bottom being provided at its outer edge with an annular depressed bead into which the lower edge of the peripheral wall of the body engages and beyond such bead with an upwardly extending flange that is turned inwardly at its upper edge above said shoulder thereby to bind the peripheral wall and the bottom wall of the body together, the bead of the bottom wall forming a seat for engagement with thespanner, and the outer flange of the bottom wall being of lesser diameter than the internal diameter of the inner wick tube whereby a space is provided between said flange and said tube in register with the aforesaid air passage, the bottom wall having air openings and the peripheral wall being provided with a series of apertures above said shoulder, while the aforesaid tube is provided with series of air openings in the plane of the space between the peripheral portion of the top and the flange and in the plane of said body.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

LEE S. CHADWIGK. 

